Jewellery making glossary — the terms beginners meet first

Twenty terms that cover 90% of beginner conversations.

Annealing — heat-softening work-hardened metal. Bezel — a metal
collar holding a stone. Cabochon — a domed, unfaceted stone.
Finding — manufactured components (clasps, ear-wires, jumps).
Gauge — wire thickness measure (bigger number = thinner wire).
Hallmark — stamped metal purity mark. Jump ring — a metal loop;
open/close with two pliers, never pull apart.
Karats (k) — gold purity ratio (24k pure, 18k = 75%).
Mandrel — a shaped former (ring/bracelet sizes).
Pickle — the acid bath cleaning fire oxide.
Pallion — a tiny chip of solder.
Raking light — low-angle light that reveals scratches.
Ream — enlarge/smooth a drill hole.
Sinter — metal particles fusing in metal-clay firing.
Sprue — the channel metal flows through in casting.
Tumble — machine-polishing with media.
Wax carving — sculpting jewellery in wax for casting.
Work-hardening — metal stiffening under hammer/bend (reset by
annealing).

Terms in context, in your hands — that is what the
experience classes and
course guide are for.

What students say

“I am using the skills in my everyday life and my spare time has become very productive.”

— Shirley M. (Philippines) · published student feedback

“I enjoyed fancy weaving because its something unusual and nice.”

— Nikoletta M. (Cyprus) · published student feedback

Free ways to explore

No sign-up, no payment — start with any of these.

TTake the 2-minute course finderFREE
Answer a few questions, get personal course recommendations.TThe complete course guideFREE
Every course, family and diploma in one PDF.FFree gem webinar replaysFREE
Full recorded sessions on gems and the jewellery trade.PPlay Name That GemFREE
The school's free gem-identification game.

Keep exploring

Saw-piercing basics — blade tension, posture and turningHow jeweller's saw-piercing works — choosing blades, setting tension, posture, turning corYour first silver pendant — saw-piercing your own designA first silver pendant project — transferring a design, saw-piercing curves, filing clean Wax carving for beginners — jewellery before it is metalHow wax carving works — carving, milling, spruing, casting — and why it is the sculptor's First silver skills — what beginning silversmithing actually teachesWhat you learn in a first metalsmithing course — piercing, filing, annealing, soldering an

Try a one-day jewellery class

Short experience classes at JDMIS need no tools, no experience and no commitment — a single session gives you a real taste of the craft.

Visit jdmis.edu.sg